Alabama starts Mitch Gaspard era with a 12-4 victory over South Alabama

Of staff ace Adam Morgan's 66 pitches today, 54 were strikes (UA photo).TUSCALOOSA -- Mitch Gaspard can only hope all his games as Alabama's head baseball coach resemble the first one.

With this afternoon's balmy temperatures luring a large crowd, the Crimson Tide mixed solid pitching and explosive hitting to beat South Alabama 12-4 at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, starting the Gaspard era on a strong note.

Alabama (1-0) never trailed behind 16 hits from its batters and the efforts of starting pitcher Adam Morgan, who struck out the side on 10 pitches in the first inning and ended up tallying 11 career-high strikeouts.

"It feels good to get started," Gaspard said. "Obviously, the last four or five months of preparation have been targeting this day. It was really just what we thought. We played with great energy for nine innings."

South Alabama (2-1) had already opened its season with a pair of wins over Jackson State before beginning this two-game, home-and-way series with Alabama, which visits Stanky Field at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. But it was clear immediately that Saturday's visit to Tuscaloosa wasn't a normal event.

Former Crimson Tide quarterback John Parker Wilson was on hand to throw out the first pitch. Nearly 5,000 fans cheered as he fired a strike to his brother, second baseman Ross Wilson, behind home plate.

Six Crimson Tide hitters responded with multi-hit games, snapping a 3-3 tie with four runs in the fourth inning and extending it with two more in the seventh and three in the eighth.

Former Tide QB John Parker Wilson embraces younger brother Ross Wilson, a UA second baseman, after throwing out the first pitch today (UA photo).True freshman Andrew Miller, a former St. Paul's standout, started in right field and batted ninth. He went 1-for-3 and contributed a two-run single in the fourth inning.

Miller said he didn't find out until Friday he would start his first college game.

"I was real surprised about it, and it felt good," Miller said. "It was nerve-wracking at first. But once you get it out of you, you cruise on like you've been playing it your whole life."

Alabama senior Jake Smith, back from a season-ending ankle injury, went 4-for-5 with two RBIs. Lead-off man Taylor Dugas scored three times. Clay Jones added a home run and Ross Wilson had three hits.

But the Crimson Tide's biggest standout today was Morgan (1-0). The Crimson Tide's staff ace fired 66 pitches before being lifted after six innings. Of those, 54 were strikes.

"Morgan was like a pitcher a month into the season," USA coach Steve Kittrell said. "I don't know if I've ever seen a pitcher command the strike zone that early in the game. I mean, it was strike one, strike two ... That's how you pitch. He was outstanding."

Morgan retired the side in order five times, with his only slip being a three-run fourth inning highlighted by Tyler Vick's two-run home run for USA. The Jaguars also got a seventh-inning solo home run from Sean Laird, who took UA reliever Jason Townsend deep.

But it wasn't nearly enough to prevent Jaguars starting pitcher Jarrett Bailey (0-1) from taking the loss after getting tagged with five runs and six hits in three innings. Each of the three USA pitchers after Bailey allowed at least one run.

The Jaguars will send LHP Lance Baxter of Robertsdale to the mound Sunday against the Crimson Tide's Jimmy Nelson.

"We home to play a better game tomorrow on our home turf," Kittrell said, "and we'll see what happens. I like our club. I just don't think we're as far along as Alabama, it looks like, in some areas. They've got some very good-looking athletes."

Kittrell added of Gaspard, "I know he's going to do a tremendous job. He'll be a great fit for Alabama."

For Gaspard, it's so far, so good.

"I want to put a stamp on this team," Gaspard said. "I realize this is a good team. This is a talented team with experience, particularly in the infield. So we want to take advantage of what we've got."